Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Yahoo announced that it hired Katie Couric as "global anchor". Yahoo's CEO, Marissa Mayer, has said all along that the end user experience would drive her decisions. Ms Mayer is a data-driven executive who happens to be a social media maven, so it's safe to assume she knows what she is doing.

Some will undoubtedly see the hiring of Katie Couric as simply bringing on a celebrity. This would be selling both Ms Mayer and Ms Couric short. Couric is a media savvy content maven who happens to be a celebrity. She is smart and deep.

One of the companies, PlanetGov, got venture funding to create an information and sales portal for the government market. PlanetGov hired about 20 journalists, including Mike Causey from the Washington Post (now with Federal News Radio) to create an information portal that would attract all Feds, then have an e-commerce side which would supply those Feds with everything they needed to buy for work.

The plan was interesting, but did not make it past the demise of the dot-bomb crash.

But the company survived, and emerged as APPTIS, and now IronBow.

Content is deservedly huge in our market, and with some of the publications in dire straits, it has become necessary for contractors to generate more of their own content. This content takes the form of white papers, enews programs, webinars, podcasts, even TV and radio shows.

If the content is germane to the buyer, and helps them makes decisions about what to buy and perhaps where to buy it, the company generating the content wins.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

So here's my dilemma. I get a call from a friend and occasional client at a top tech firm, well inside the Fortune Top 200. They need an agency that can help with public sector content, social and qualified lead generation. I tell my friend I will send them a short list within 48 hours.

A couple of companies come to mind quickly as their content is extraordinary.

Then I look them up on LinkedIn....

Content may be a strength, but social, at least LinkedIn, is really weak. I see execs at these companies that should have profiles with SOME information on who they are and what they do, but it isn't there. Their web sites are nice, and populated with some decent content, but they look like the cobbler's children, or worse, the emperor with no clothes when it comes to LinkedIn.

While I admire their ability to generate great content for some clients, it doesn't appear that they leverage social for dissemination of that content.

LinkedIn is my #1 venue for vetting those I recommend. Web sites are #2.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Who would you rather read about in (fill in
in with your favorite business publication)?

Some company you’ve never heard of?Your top competitor?Your company?

When it comes to
visibility, there is no “level playing field”. You need to create your own advantage wherever and whenever you can. That is
especially true when it comes to getting
noticedin ways that pay dividends:

- being
known by a prospect before your first
meeting;

- getting
interviewed in a trade publication, on TV or on the radio;

- leveraging
social networks to get noticed by decision makers in your market;

If you are tired of seeing your
competitors’ quotes in trade magazines, or their CEO speaking from the podium at
a big conference, keep reading.

This is Your Invitation to the 2014

Amtower GovCon Thought Leadership Program

Small
business owners in the government contracting arena have to wear many hats and
fulfill many roles. Among the most important of those roles is to get your company noticed by the right people in the market, to stand
out as a subject matter expert or thought leader in your niche and capture more
business.

In order to get on and stay on the radar of

government contractors, potential partners, customers,

press and investors

you
need to stand out in a very crowded field.

Standing out
in any market is difficult, and probably more so in the hyper-competitive
government contracting market. Regardless of whether you are selling to the government or to selling to contractors, there is no
un-crowded niche.

So how do you
stand out in a way that resonates with the audience you want to
reach and influence? Isn't it time to invest in the future of your company?

Want more info? Send me an email for details on this six-month program --